10 Best NANA Manga Covers

Warning: The following contains spoilers for NANA by Ai Yazawa!!

Summary

• NANA
  ‘s iconic cover art tells visual stories of Nana and Hachi’s friendship through dynamic illustrations.
• Volume #5 introduces recurring characters and sets the course for Hachi’s future character arc, which is beautifully set-up through the cover art’s depiction of the two protagonists on a day out.
• Volume #20 signifies a heavy arc in the series as Ren spiraling, creating strain in his relationship with Trapnest, and with Nana Osaki.

Ai Yazawa is fondly recognized as being one of the most prolific shojo mangaka of all time, and for good reason. Her stories and characters are beautifully written, and her ability to tackle difficult social issues and the more difficult aspects of young adult life is a skill that makes her work relatable to everyone who picks up her work. Perhaps her most famous series, NANA, which originally began serializing in 2000 and received a very successful anime adaptation, is well-known for having complicated characters with heartwrenching personal arcs.

Following two young women that just so happen to share the same name who end up being sat together on a train to Tokyo, who eventually end up becoming best friends and roommates, NANA delves into the choices and mistakes that one makes in their young adult years that follow them for the rest of their lives.

The cover art of NANA‘s collected volumes, or tankobon, tell visual stories depicting the two women, providing a silent look into the life they share with one another.

10 NANA Volume #5

Nana and Hachi spend a day out together in a colorful, full illustration

NANA Volume #5 depicts the two women spending time together outside what appears to be a café or eatery, with Hachi sitting at a table while Nana looks over at her with a small smile. The illustration is dynamic and alive, and captures what makes Ai Yazawa’s work so iconic. The characters feel very real in these small intimate moments, and it beautifully juxtaposes with what’s occurring within the volume.

At this point in the story, Hachi is preparing to visit her hometown to see Trapnest live in concert. She drags a very reluctant Nana with her, seemingly convinced that her ex, Ren, will be there watching. Nana isn’t sure if she even wants to see Ren again, though, which creates a major source of conflict during this story arc. Volume #5 is a defining moment in NANA‘s story, as it introduces a number of recurring characters to the manga, and sets the course of Hachi’s future character arc. The cover art, being so gentle and relaxed, conflicts with the narrative in an almost too perfect way.

9 NANA Volume #7

Nana and Hachi continue their day out, checking the railway timetables

Something that makes the NANA cover artwork so iconic is that each volume is a piece of a larger story, depicting the two protagonists spending time together. Volume #7 continues the same outing from volume #5, showing the two girls checking timetables. The composition of the cover is great, with both Nana and Hachi being placed in the foreground of the image, with the title card behind them. It feels as if the two girls are so focused on their time together – on each other – that they’re the only two people in the world.

This volume’s narrative once again works alongside the cover, as Hachi finds herself hit with pangs of jealousy now that Blast is starting to take off, and the group’s new legion of fans are filling in her role as the band’s ultimate cheerleader. She’s also slowly becoming more entranced by Takumi at this point in the story, which begins to create a rift in her friendship with Nana.

8 NANA Volume #17

Nana and Hachi indulge in karaoke before realizing that they’ve missed the last train

In this cover art, which mirrors the artwork from volume #16, is an energetic illustration showing Hachi and Nana in a karaoke room with one another, as Hachi makes a horrified expression looking down at their timetable booklet – likely realizing that the pair have missed the last train to get home. The cover also perfectly illustrates the two women’s personalities, with Nana being very relaxed, enjoying her music and a glass of wine, while Hachi slowly begins to panic in the corner.

Volume #17 is a rather melancholic point in the story, as Hachi is now engaged to Takumi, and feels as though she and Nana are drifting apart from one another more than ever before. Hachi tries to mend their relationship after tabloids begin gossiping about Nana’s troubled history, but it’s beginning to seem as though the rift between the two girls is beyond repair, making the volume cover’s lighthearted and comedic vibe bittersweet.

7 NANA Volume #13

The two protagonists stand outside, looking at the snow in the middle of the night

Moving back in time, NANA volume #13 shows the two protagonists standing outside a movie theater at night, bundled up in fashionable winter clothes as they look at the snow falling in the middle of the night. Ai Yazawa’s unique art style is truly represented in this cover, showing off her sense of style when dressing up Hachi and Nana. Additionally, the lighting from the bright signs in the middle of the night adds a gorgeous contrast to the two girls standing outside in the elements.

This volume takes place a bit after Takumi and Hachi officially move in with one another, and follows her loneliness after not having seen Nana and the other members of Blast since her big move. Hachi sees an opportunity for a group reunion at Shin and Reira’s birthday party, but she ends up angering Takumi by “crashing” the event. Heartbroken and stressed, Hachi is once again put in a position where she has to choose between Takumi and her best friend.

6 NANA Volume #12

Nana and Hachi go to see a movie, but Nana seemingly falls asleep against Hachi

Taking place before the cover art featured on volume #13, volume #12 shows Nana and Hachi enjoying a film together, although, Nana has fallen asleep, leaning on Hachi’s shoulder. This cover shows just how close the two girls are, with Nana feeling comfortable enough to let her guard down and lean against her friend. Hachi, on the other hand, is fully engrossed in the film.

This volume is a particularly heavy one in the series, as Hachi grapples with feeling as though she’s ready to commit to a future with Takumi, all the while still holding on to feelings from the past – especially the unresolved feelings she has for Nobu. Things get more complicated when Hachi’s wedding is delayed, making it harder for her to move forward from her already complicated emotions towards the situation.

5 NANA Volume #20

The two best friend’s fate begins to set in as they prepare to board a train home

NANA volume #20 hits particularly hard, as it is the second to last volume before the series went on an indefinite hiatus, and its soft, empty background focuses on the two protagonists as they stand together, waiting to board their train back home. Hachi is smiling up at Nana, who has her back turned to the reader, which somehow signifies just how heavy this arc of the manga is.

In volume #20, Ren has begun to spiral out of control, and he doesn’t want his problem with substances to drag the members of Trapnest down with him. Takumi and Reira are insistent that they don’t want Ren to quit, but they also don’t know how to properly help him through what he’s going through. Ren contemplates reaching out to Nana for help, but the couple’s strained relationship makes him hesitant to lean on her in his time of need.

4 NANA Volume #4

Nana and Hachi start their day out at the beach

Taking place a bit earlier in the series, the cover art for volume #4 is set earlier in the day, just as Nana and Hachi are heading out to spend time with one another. The two girls go for a walk at the beach, with Nana smiling brightly at Hachi, who has her back turned to the reader on this cover. The contrast of the soft, early morning colors against the girls’ brightly colored outfits works well in displaying how vibrant Nana and Hachi’s personalities are, and their dynamic as friends.

In this volume, Hachi is hit with personal life struggles as she has a difficult time holding down a steady job, and discovering that her boyfriend hasn’t been faithful to her since moving to Tokyo. Luckily, Hachi is able to stay distracted after hearing a rumor about her new roommate and friend’s personal love life, and begins trying to dig up as much information as possible about the elusive “Ren”.

3 NANA Volume #2

Nana and Hachi enjoy a quiet morning together in their apartment

Going back to the very beginning of the series, the cover art of volume #2 paints a gentle and hopeful picture compared to later entries in the manga. The cover art is an early morning in Hachi and Nana’s apartment, depicting the two young women having a conversation as the sun shines through their window.

At this point in the series, Nana and Hachi have only just begun living together in their shabby little apartment, and Hachi gets introduced to Nana’s eccentric group of friends that quickly become the main supporting cast for the remainder of the series. As an exposition-heavy entry into the series, the cover art’s signaling of a new start feels more than appropriate.

2 NANA Volume #21

In the final volume of the series, Hachi and Nana walk home, hand-in-hand, for the last time

The final volume of NANA before the series entered its indefinite hiatus, volume #21 is a truly bittersweet finale, as it depicts Nana and Hachi walking home together one last time, hand-in-hand. The soft, white landscape of snow works well with the two girls positioned further in the background than in other volumes, with Hachi’s head tilted downward, smiling. The pair have also swapped hats, a nod to their inherent closeness, and how intertwined they are with each other.

This volume is a truly heart-wrenching finale, as Ren’s death has left a lasting impact on every character in the series – especially Nana. In addition to dealing with the devastating loss of her true love, Hachi and Nana have drifted so far apart, that it truly feels as though the two women may never cross paths again, at least, not in a way that they – or readers – would hope for.

1 NANA Volume #1

The very first volume in the series shows Nana, alone

Despite being undeniably cliché, NANA‘s first volume is undeniably the best, and in a single portrait of Nana Osaki, perfectly illustrates the best and worst qualities of her character. On the cover, Nana is depicted alone in the early morning hours, reading a newspaper before Hachi joins her in volume #2. Nana Osaki, over the course of the series, is somebody who deals with feelings of intense solitude and occasional loneliness, though she would never admit this. Her friendship with Hachi, and her eventual reconnection with Ren changes this, for better and for worse. It feels all too fitting, especially when compared to the final volume of the series, that volume #1 shows the young woman, alone.

The first volume of NANA is an introductory one, illustrating the past lives of Hachi and Nana before encountering each other on their life-changing train ride to Tokyo. The two young women couldn’t have been introduced as being any more different from each other, but somehow, their bond is one of the most important, and impactful, in all of shojo manga.

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